Be straightforward. Be direct. Be black and white.
There’s a good chance that you know someone who has overcome addiction or that you know someone who is currently battling addiction. Whether they’re a close friend or someone you don’t know very well, it’s important to understand how to support someone with an addiction.
Not only can an addiction ruin the addict’s life, but it can also ruin their friendships, families, and careers. Knowing how to help someone with an addiction can significantly improve their situation and speed up their recovery.
A national survey found that 20.4 million adults aged 12 and older had a substance use disorder (SUD) in the previous year. Additionally, data from the previous year revealed that only about a tenth of people with SUD received the necessary care.
So how can you help an addict receive the treatment they need and support them on their journey to sobriety? Be straightforward. Be direct. Be black and white.
Rely on Our Addiction Experience
Every situation is unique and different. There is no manual for an intervention. The best advice we can give you is to be black and white about it. Addicts don’t want to talk about the black and white issues – they only want to talk about the gray areas in between.
Be straightforward. Be direct. Be black and white. Don’t be afraid to talk about it. Tell them to get help – period. We can tell you from experience that they’ll usually get help.
In fact, we’ve found it’s much more difficult to convince family members to be black and white about the issues than it is to convince addicts to get help. It’s okay if they get mad; that means they’re going to make a change. They may put up a fight, but probably not a very good one. They’re waiting for someone to say no to them and make it stick.
Once you talk to them, the best thing you can do is seek counseling for both you and the addict. They have to choose to recover on their own, but you also have to know how to support them throughout the recovery and afterward.
How to Help With Drug Addiction
Follow these expert tips to learn how to support an addict the right way.
Don’t Enable
When you’re learning how to help someone with drug addiction, the last thing you want to do is make life easier for them. Don’t give the addict money to feed their addiction. Instead, resist the urge to save them and let them experience the consequences of their behavior.
Hold Them Responsible
Learning how to support a recovering addict means holding them accountable for keeping their word. If they say they’ll get help, make sure they do and assist them in doing so. Continue to hold them responsible and provide additional support to get them the care they need.
Look After Yourself
The best thing you can do to support a loved one with addiction is to take care of your overall well-being. By putting your own physical, emotional, and mental needs first, you’ll be more able to support your loved one through the strenuous and long recovery process.
Education Yourself
Recognize that addiction is a disease. Alcohol and drugs may cause the brain’s wiring to change, causing disruptions in cognitive function and dependence, which can lead to substance use disorder. Knowing this will help you support your loved one more effectively and show patience during their journey.
When you’re supporting a family member with an addiction, just remember you’re not alone. By seeking professional assistance, you can gain access to the resources and network of supporters you need to support your loved one in leading a sober lifestyle.
Drug Detox, Addiction Treatment & Recovery
There are many different approaches when it comes to treatment for drug addiction; here at Bay Area Recovery Center, we treat the whole person, not just the illness.
Treating drug addiction effectively means finding the mental illness responsible for causing the person’s addictive behavior and treating that first. Once the person detoxes and completes a seven day, 2 week, or 30 day treatment program, they might be ready to start outpatient therapy and counseling.
Each person is different. And every phase of the recovery process is both challenging and impossible to predict without assessing the individual. That is why inpatient drug rehab programs are recommended for people suffering from an addiction to a prescription drug or other substance.
Treatment Programs & Options Available
- In-Patient Treatment
- Out-Patient Drug Treatment & Partial Day
- Women Only Drug Treatment Facilities
- Men Only Drug Treatment Centers
- Medically Assisted Drug Detox
- Faith Based Rehabilitation
- Most Insurance Plans Accepted
We have specialized treatment programs for every type of drug from barbiturates to stimulants, and prescription drugs to illicit substances.
There are many steps in the road to recovery, but the most important steps often involve:
- Intervention
- Detox
- Counseling
- Individual, Family, & Group Therapy
So if you want to support someone with addiction, contact us today to get them the help they need!
